Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Flavorwire ranked the 10 ten exteriors of public libraries, and believe it or not, the Central Library of the Atlanta- Fulton system is #2:

From an architectural standpoint, it's distinctive, I suppose, but it sure doesn't say "come inside and curl up with a good book" (or for that matter, even hint that books are inside it). This might have made an interesting office building, but for a library, it's a bit depressing. *

The Boston Public Library is my favorite classic exterior from this list (ranked #6 by Flavorwire):

A 1940s era postcard showing the library - very much unchanged to this day!

And for a modern twist, nothing can beat the Salt Lake City Public Library (#9):

Of course, the true test of a library is what's inside, and as someone who's been in all 3 of these, the Atlanta library isn't even on the charts. The Salt Lake City is actually my all-time favorite library (I'll even give it a post of its own - someday!), and very worth a visit if you're in the area.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

"Some books grab you from the first page. Julia Glass's novel, The Widower's Tale, lightly touches you on the shoulder and requests your kind attention to an enchanting story of familial bonds and late-life romance. Expect to be infatuated with Glass's protagonist, 70-year-old Percy Darling, he of the generous soul, dry wit, and courtly manners. Living alone in a rural enclave near Boston, he clings to the emotional reticence he cultivated after losing his wife—until he falls for the much younger Sarah. ... Meanwhile, a rich mix of other characters play out their own dramas in a leisurely fashion. But who cares how long the journey takes when you're in such good company?" from oprah.com review

Friday, November 19, 2010

I must admit I once felt I had to finish every book I started. But I have since adopted this eminently sensible suggestion: read the first 50 pages of a book to give it a fair chance, and if you're not enjoying it by then, give it up. There are too many wonderful books in this world to get stuck with one that doesn't satisfy. If you've been trying to get the same book read for months now, that's probably a good sign it's time to move on. Give yourself permission to read only what you love - reading is such a joy when you find the right book!

Monday, November 15, 2010

We are contemplating adding a donor recognition wall at Ocee Library, with initial funding to come from the generous donations made in memory of William H. Hamlin, Jr..

The Giving Tree wall at the Northeast/Spruill Oaks library was the genus of our donor wall idea: Mr. Hamlin's daughter, Patricia, noted that it "“planted the seed” for me to talk with my father about including the library in his obituary. Perhaps it will have a similar impact and encourage others to give to Ocee".

Spruill Oak's Giving Tree

We want to incorporate this idea, while giving it our own twist. Here are some design ideas to get us thinking - these are merely meant to be inspirations, not exact depictions of what ours would look like. Our wall would also be relatively small compared to most of these, so imagine scaled down versions. It would most likely be located against the right-hand brick wall in the outermost vestibule, if you wanted to picture it in situ. We'd love to hear any suggestions, especially if you can think of a way to work some local Ocee connection into the design.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Ramona Quimby is coming to the Georgia Ensemble Theatre for one public performance only:November 13th at 11:30 AM at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center!Bring your kids and their friends to see the fun adventures of this delightful little girl.

After the show, join us in the lobby to build your ownIce Cream Sundae with the Cast!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

One of our devoted board members, Lori (along with her husband Jim) went the extra mile after our last book sale to find a good home for the leftover books on tape (the library weeded this collection, as books on CD seem to be the preferred media these days).

In her own words:

Jim and I finally delivered the boxes of books on tape (cassettes) to the Center for Visually Impaired on W Peachtree and 4th Ave downtown. We had six book size boxes, two Staples tote boxes and three large plastic tubs which caused us to use the truck. [They were] so thrilled to receive them. She showed us the long table where they had books on tape for clients to take at will and there was a scarce 12-15 books spread on a big table. She said the clients will be so excited to have new material to listen to--she wishes she would have a room to have a little library. She would welcome any we had to give in the future. I would guess any music CDs leftover after a sale would be welcome too. Jim and I will be happy to deliver them--it was so good to know they were going to a good cause and would be appreciated.

And today we received the following thank-you note from the Center for the Visually Impaired:

Thank you for bringing a donation of 431 audiobooks and 8 large print books from the Ocee Library to the Center for the Visually Impaired. These items, although used, are in good working condition. We appreciate this thoughtful gift, and our visually impaired clients, staff and friends will be delighted at having such a plethora of books from which to choose! Your contribution enables the Center to provide the best possible rehabilitative services to blind and visually impaired persons of all ages. Thank you for your support.

The Friends of the Ocee Library is so lucky to have volunteers like Lori and Jim - thanks guys!

If you are aware of a charity that could benefit from the leftovers from our book sales, email us and let us know. We can't promise anything, but we do love it when we can help others!